Voice call alternative routing through PSTN and internet networks

• US 7,813,332 B1
• Filed: 02/07/2005
• Issued: 10/12/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Services Corporation (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Curry, James E., Farris, Robert D., Voit, Eric A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Trost, IV; William
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHRISS, ANDREW W
• Application Number:
  US11/052,447
• Time in Patent Office: 2,073 Days
• Field of Search: 370/352
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1043 Gateway controllers, e.g. media gateway control protocol [MGCP] controllers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1083 In-session procedures
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1096 Supplementary features, e.g. call forwarding or call holding systems providing special services or facilities to telephony subscribers H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/752 adapting media to network capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0057 Services where the data services network provides a telephone service in addition or as an alternative, e.g. for backup purposes, to the telephone service provided by the telephone services network
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13034 A/D conversion, code compression/expansion
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13141 Hunting for free outlet, circuit or channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13166 Fault prevention
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13298 Local loop systems, access network
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13383 Hierarchy of switches, main and subexchange, e.g. satellite exchange
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13389 LAN, internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0029 Provisions for intelligent networking

Abstract

The advanced intelligent network (AIN) to determine routing of voice calls alternatively between the public switched telephone network (PSTN) and a data packet network, such as the Internet, in accordance with the quality of service existing in the data packet network at the times of call origination. The user'"'"'s acceptable level of service may be predefined with a threshold quality level stored in the user'"'"'s Call Processing Record (CPR) in the AIN Integrated Services Control Point (ISCP). On a per call basis, the caller linked to a first public switched network may indicate a preference to route through the Internet. This indication is recognized by the AIN system, in response to which the quality of service currently present on the Internet for completion of the call is measured. If the result exceeds the stored threshold, the call is setup and routed through the Internet to the switched network link to the destination party. If the quality of service on the Internet is not satisfactory, the call is alternatively routed through the PSTN, which may include an Interexchange Carrier link. The AIN system automatically controls the alternative routing of such calls.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving a request to place a voice telephone call from a first station that is a point of origination for the call to a second station that is a point of termination for the call, the first and second stations being remotely located from each other;

determining a quality of service of a data packet network located between the first station and the second station;

comparing the quality of service obtained in said determining with a predetermined threshold level for the voice telephone call, the predetermined threshold level stored in a database associated with the first station;

in response to a result of said comparing that said predetermined threshold level is exceeded, routing the voice telephone call between the first station and the second station through the data packet network in packet data format; and

in response to a result of said comparing that the predetermined threshold level is not exceeded, transparently routing the voice telephone call between the first station and the second station through a circuit switched voice network located between the first station and the second station;

wherein the first station is connected to a first switch, the first switch is connected to a first internet module and the circuit switched network, and the first internet module is connected to the data packet network, such that the voice telephone call is capable of being communicated between the first station and the second station (i) through the first internet module and first switch when routed through the data packet network, or (ii) through the first switch when routed through the circuit switched network.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the second station comprises an Internet phone capable of outputting digital voice signals.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the switch is a service switching point (SSP) located in a central office (CO) of a public switched telephone network (PSTN).

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the routing of the voice telephone call between the first station and the second station through the data packet network include packetizing voice data of the voice telephone call, compressing the packetized voice data, and transmitting the compressed packetized voice data.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the routing of the voice telephone call between the first station and the second station through the data packet network further includes determining route information associated with the second station, and including in each packet the route information.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined threshold level is stored in a call processing record associated with the first station in the database associated with the first station, wherein the call processing record includes information regarding services subscribed to by the customer and conditions under which specific routing will occur.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the database is in an integrated services control point (ISCP).

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the switch is a service switching point (S SP) located in a central office (CO) of a public switched telephone network (PSTN), and wherein the receiving of the request to place the voice telephone call from the first station to the second station comprises receiving a message from the integrated services control point indicating the request.

9. A method, comprising:

receiving a request to connect a voice telephone call from a first station that is a point of origination for the call to a second station that is a point of termination for the call, the first and second stations being remotely located from each other;

determining a quality of service of a packet switched network located between the first station and the second station;

comparing the quality of service obtained in said determining with a predetermined threshold level for the voice telephone call, the predetermined threshold level stored in a database associated with the second station,

in response to a result of said comparing that the predetermined threshold level is exceeded, routing the voice telephone call between the first station and the second station through the packet switched network in packet data format; and

in response to a result of said comparing that the predetermined threshold level is not exceeded, transparently routing the voice telephone call between the first station and the second station through a circuit switched voice network located between the first station and the second station;

wherein the second station is connected to a second switch, the second switch is connected to a second internet module and the circuit switched network, and the second internet module is connected to the packet switched network, such that the voice telephone call is capable of being communicated between the first station and the second station (i) through the second internet module and second switch when routed through the packet switched network, or (ii) through the second switch when routed through the circuit switched network.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the first station comprises an Internet phone capable of outputting digital voice signals.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the second switch is a service switching point (SSP) located in a central office (CO) of a PSTN.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the routing of the voice telephone call between the first station and the second station through the packet switched network includes packetizing voice data of the voice telephone call, compressing the packetized voice data, and transmitting the compressed packetized voice data over the packet switched network.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the routing of the voice telephone call between the first station and the second station through the packet switched network further comprises determining route information associated with the first station, and including in each packet the route information.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the first station is connected to a first switch, the first switch is connected to a first internet module and the circuit switched network, and the first internet module is connected to the packet switched network, such that the voice telephone call is capable of being communicated between the first station and the second station (i) through the first internet module and first switch when routed through the packet switched network, or (ii) through the first switch when routed through the circuit switched network.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the predetermined threshold level is stored in a call processing record associated with the second station in the database associated with the second station, wherein the call processing record includes information regarding services subscribed to by the customer and conditions under which specific routing will occur.

16. A system, comprising:

an interface to a circuit switched network configured to receive and transmit information associated with a voice telephone call between a first station that is a point of origination for the call and a second station that is a point of termination for the call in a circuit-switched network format;

an interface to a packet switched network configured to receive and transmit information associated with the voice telephone call in a packet-switched network format;

an interface to the first station configured to receive from and transmit to the first station the information associated with the voice telephone call;

a processor interface including a quality test application configured to compare a quality of service of the packet switched network to a predetermined threshold level, the predetermined threshold level being stored in a database associated with one of the first station and the second station;

wherein the information associated with the telephone call is transmitted and received through the interface to the packet switched network when the quality of service of the packet switched network is above the predetermined threshold level, and the information associated with the telephone call is transmitted and received through the interface to the circuit switched network when the quality of service of the packet switched network is below the predetermined threshold level.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the interface to the packet switched network includes:

a compression/decompression unit configured to compress packetized voice data for transmission and decompress received packetized voice data;

a route determination unit configured to identify telephone numbers and routes to a terminating network router associated with the second station; and

a transfer control protocol/internet protocol (TCP/IP) unit configured to transmit and receive the packetized voice data via the packet switched network.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the interface to the circuit switched network includes:

includes a service switching point (SSP).